Poles for the mounting of street lights, signs, pedestrian signals, traffic signals, security cameras, banners and the like are well known and generally take the form of structural columns with reach arms and brackets fitted at various positions to support lights, signs and other ancillary items at desired heights and positions. These poles are generally made from hard wood, reinforced concrete or from tubular galvanised steel or aluminium. Tubular poles have the advantage of the ability to hide switch gear, cables and the like inside the pole.
Pole assemblies having a tubular upper mast that slides into a tubular base are known. In some of these arrangements, the base has a plurality of longitudinal channels that project into corresponding longitudinal channels in the upper mast, and the upper mast is secured to the base by long bolts that extend across the base, through the upper mast. A problem with this type of pole assembly is that water or dirt may enter the interior of the pole through the gaps between the upper mast and the base at the join (i.e. the transition) between them. Prior art methods of sealing this join include sealing caps or sealant. However, these methods are not ideal and may be unreliable.
The present invention seeks to overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least provide a useful alternative.